Preparing a pitch deck and wondering how many slides you should have? Guy Kawasaki, legendary Apple evangelist and VC investor, created the 10/20/30 rule which has become THE global reference for structuring investor presentations.
📌 What you'll learn:
- ✅ The 10/20/30 rule explained in detail
- ✅ The 10 essential slides and their content
- ✅ Why this structure works with VCs
- ✅ How to adapt the rule in 2025
- ✅ Downloadable template + AI generator
Who is Guy Kawasaki?
Before diving into the rule, a word about its creator:
Guy Kawasaki
- • Chief Evangelist at Apple (1983-1987)
- • Managing Director at Garage Technology Ventures
- • Chief Evangelist at Canva
- • Author of 15 books including "The Art of the Start"
- • Has seen thousands of pitch decks as a VC
It's this experience on both sides (pitching AND listening to pitches) that led Kawasaki to formulate his famous rule after seeing too many catastrophic presentations.
The 10/20/30 Rule Explained
The rule is simple to remember:
Slides
Maximum. Not 11, not 15. 10.
Minutes
Complete presentation. Q&A after.
Points
Minimum font size. Readable.
"If you must use more than ten slides to explain your business, you probably don't have a business."
— Guy Kawasaki
Why 10 Slides?
Kawasaki observed that VCs lose focus after 10 slides. It's psychological:
- Limited cognitive load: The brain only retains 7±2 elements (Miller's Law)
- Declining attention: Attention drops dramatically after 10 minutes
- Clarity test: If you can't explain in 10 slides, you don't understand your business
- Respect for time: A VC sees 3-5 pitches per day. Respect their time.
Why 20 Minutes?
Even if you have a 1-hour meeting, only pitch for 20 minutes:
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 0-5 min | Technical setup (always some bugs) |
| 5-25 min | Your pitch (20 min) |
| 25-55 min | Questions & Discussion (the real value) |
| 55-60 min | Next steps |
💡 Pro tip
The best VC discussions happen during questions, not during the pitch. A 20-min pitch leaves 40 min for real exchange. That's when the investor decides.
Why 30pt Font?
This is the most ignored part of the rule, but perhaps the most important:
- Forces simplicity: You can't put 50 bullet points in 30pt
- Guaranteed readability: Visible even from the back of the room
- Prevents reading slides: Less text = more eye contact
- Focus on message: 1 idea per slide, not 10
🚨 Fatal mistake: Walls of text
I've seen founders put 200 words per slide in 12pt font. The VC spends time reading instead of listening. Result: zero connection, zero investment.
The 10 Essential Slides (In Order)
Here are the 10 slides Guy Kawasaki recommends, with optimal content for each:
Title Slide
Startup name, tagline, your contact info.
⏱ Time: 30 seconds
Problem / Opportunity
What problem are you solving? Why now?
⏱ Time: 2 minutes | 💡 Tip: Start with a real customer story
Value Proposition
How do you solve the problem? What's your unique solution?
⏱ Time: 2 minutes | 💡 Tip: In 1 sentence, not 10
Underlying Magic
Product demo, technology, or the "secret sauce" that differentiates you.
⏱ Time: 3 minutes | 💡 Tip: Show, don't tell
Business Model
How do you make money? Pricing, unit economics.
⏱ Time: 2 minutes | 💡 Tip: LTV/CAC > 3x, margin > 60%
Go-to-Market Plan
How do you acquire customers? Channels, strategy, costs.
⏱ Time: 2 minutes | 💡 Tip: Be specific with numbers
Competitive Analysis
Who are your competitors? Why do you win?
⏱ Time: 2 minutes | 💡 Tip: 2x2 matrix, not a logo list
Management Team
Who are you? Why YOU to execute this vision?
⏱ Time: 2 minutes | 💡 Tip: Experience relevant to the problem
Financial Projections
Revenue, costs, break-even over 3-5 years.
⏱ Time: 2 minutes | 💡 Tip: Bottom-up, not "1% of the market"
Current Status & The Ask
Where are you now? How much are you raising? For what?
⏱ Time: 2 minutes | 💡 Tip: Clear milestones with the funds
How to Adapt the Rule in 2025
Kawasaki's rule dates from 2005. Here's how it has evolved:
What Has Changed
📱 Digital Format
Pitches are often on Zoom. Readability becomes even more critical. 30pt minimum.
📊 Data-Driven
VCs want more metrics. Traction, CAC/LTV, cohort data if you have it.
🎥 Demo > Slides
Show your product in action. 1 minute of demo is worth 10 slides of features.
🤖 AI-Powered
AI tools can generate a structured deck in minutes. Differentiation is in storytelling.
What Hasn't Changed
- Simplicity wins: Less is more. Always.
- Time is precious: 20 minutes remains the standard
- Story matters: Problem → Solution → Why you
- Business fundamentals: Unit economics, market size, team
The 5 Mistakes That Kill Pitches
❌ Mistake #1: 47 slides "just in case"
Don't trust your 10 slides? Then work on them more.
❌ Mistake #2: Reading your slides word for word
Slides support your pitch, they ARE NOT your pitch.
❌ Mistake #3: No demo
"Product" slide with words? No. Show the product in action.
❌ Mistake #4: Team slide with just names
"Marie, CEO" says nothing. "Marie, 8 years ex-Stripe, scaled 0 to $50M ARR" says everything.
❌ Mistake #5: No clear "Ask"
"We're raising" vs "We're raising $1.5M Seed to reach $1M ARR in 18 months."
Free Template + AI Generator
🚀 Generate Your Pitch Deck in 2 Hours
CharliA automatically applies Guy Kawasaki's 10/20/30 rule and generates a VC-ready pitch deck based on your business.
10 Slides
Kawasaki Structure
Financial Model
5-year projections
VC Matching
100+ European VCs
Conclusion: Simplify, Simplify, Simplify
Guy Kawasaki's 10/20/30 rule isn't just a formula — it's a philosophy:
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
— Leonardo da Vinci (quoted by Kawasaki)
If you can't explain your business in 10 slides, 20 minutes, with a readable font, the problem isn't the rule — it's your understanding of your own business.
Work on your pitch until it's simple. Then simplify more.
📚 Further Reading
PS: Want a pitch deck that follows the 10/20/30 rule AND impresses VCs? CharliA generates it in 2 hours.
